Random Mongolian Daydreaming...

Hello all,
“Planning” a 3 weeks trip to Mongolia and would like to ask for some advice…The target is this summer (where “summer” is a loosely defined time entity).

Any help or tips on how to realise the following random ideas is greatly appreciated.

1.Would love to visit “a place” where this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/-lucie-/5064342154/in/set-72157603881656712 will stretch to the horizon and go on for days. On foot, on horse it does not matter. Just want to spend a few days in there.

2.Gobi dune seas- Ok that’s probably straightforward (Khongoryn Els?) but how about walking in the area for a couple of days?

3.Kazakh eagle hunters in action – now I know that’s hard…Altai on the same trip- possible?

For 5 people travelling independently and since everybody seems to advice against self driving, can somebody suggest a good guide for all or part of the above places?

Thanks!
G.

During the summer you'll find hundreds of valleys looking like that picture. When we were driving through we could pretty much have a view like this every morning. Kazakh eagle hunters is rather difficult to include in the trip unless you are visiting the far-west. Hiking to the dunes, no problem. Try this guy at ganerdene_y@hotmail.com Speaks fluent english and drives his own Toyota Land Cruiser which is the most reliable & comfortable vehicle for the kind of roads you'll be driving. Goodluck

Edited by: longrider

1) go to the countryside and you'll see it in every direction!

2) You COULD walk in that area for a few days...but would need a lot of water. The Gobi is pretty cool looking, but I got tired of it after a while. I prefered the northern part of the country where there were mountains and rolling hills. Just gorgeous.

3) Totally possible in the west. There are a lot of them still out there and they will gladly show you their craft and let you hold the birds (which are absolutely huge)

I don't know a good guide, but there are internal flights in the country that could get you around. Sadly, driving will be the best way to do it...and I'm sure it can be arranged in UB as I was able to arrange a number of things there. Obviously it woudl be cheaper if you arranged it on your own when you get there, but if you are the type that likes to plan ahead you could use a company to put everything together for you. Do you have a budget?

Thank you everyone for the replies! Very helpful and much appreciated.
A couple more questions I could not find the answer anywhere
So which summer month (incl September) is the best time to visit to see the countryside at its greenest? (best for photography)
-Haven never really ride a horse (been dragged around by my grandpa as a kid riding our donkey does not count:). Is it possible to learn to ride in Mongolia?